CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY SIXTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-24-12 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Klarissa J. Peña
RESOLUTION
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Directing The City To Collaborate With The Mountain View Neighborhood Regarding Pollution Concerns And Develop A Proposal For Pollution Abatement And Adjusting Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Appropriations And Adjusting Capital Appropriations (Peña)
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WHEREAS, Residents of the Mountain View Neighborhood have raised concerns regarding the urgent need for pollution abatement in their community; and
WHEREAS, It is crucial to recognize that certain demographic groups and neighborhoods within the City are more likely to experience high pollution levels, creating environmental injustice where vulnerable populations bear a disproportionate burden of the negative consequences of pollution; and
WHEREAS, Pollution abatement efforts are essential to address these systematic inequalities and promote environmental justice and protect the health and overall quality of life of all residents in the City; and
WHEREAS, City Departments such as Environmental Health, Solid Waste, Parks and Recreation, and the Department of Municipal Development provide services and resources that may be able to alleviate such community concerns regarding pollution; and
WHEREAS, The City wishes to take steps to ensure the wellbeing of its residents, promote environmental justice, and mitigate adverse impacts of pollution on affected communities.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
SECTION 1. The City shall collaborate with members of the Mountain View Neighborhood to identify any adverse impacts of pollution that may be affecting the community, based on environmental indicators, health data, and community feedback. Within two (2) months following the enactment of this Resolution, the City shall facilitate at least two (2) community engagement sessions to involve residents in the information gathering process, including identification of adverse impacts and proposed solutions. The perspectives and needs of the community will be considered in the development and implementation of a pollution abatement proposal.
SECTION 2. Relevant City Departments, including but not limited to, Environmental Health, Solid Waste, Parks and Recreation, and the Department of Municipal Development shall participate in the community engagement sessions and shall collaborate with each other to develop a proposal to implement any recommended pollution abatement measures and that the following amounts are hereby adjusted to the following programs and funds in Fiscal Year 2024:
GENERAL FUND - 110 Parks and Recreation
Recreation (150,000)
Department of Municipal Development
Strategic Support (150,000)
Environmental Health
Mountain View Pollution Abatement 800,000
REFUSE DISPOSAL OPERATING FUND - 651
Solid Waste Management Department
Administrative Services (500,000)
SECTION 3. The following adjustment is hereby made to the Capital Program to the specific funds and projects as indicated below:
Environmental Health
AIR QUALITY MONITORING/ENFORCEMENT 2021 GO BOND (250,000)
MOUNTAIN VIEW POLLUTION ABATEMENT 2021 GO BOND 250,000
SECTION 4. The City Administration shall prepare a report documenting the outcomes of the community engagement sessions and the City’s pollution abatement proposal. This report shall be shared with the City Council and presented at a meeting of the Council no later than three (3) months following the enactment of this Resolution.
SECTION 5. The City encourages Bernalillo County to create a County environmental health department to provide additional pollution abatement assistance to communities located within the County’s boundaries. The City Environmental Health Department shall make itself available to provide support to Bernalillo County on the creation of the County environmental health department.
SECTION 6. SEVERABILITY. If any section, paragraph, sentence, clause, word or phrase of this Resolution is for any reason held to be invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Resolution. The Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Resolution and each section, paragraph, sentence, clause, word or phrase thereof irrespective of any provision being declared unconstitutional or otherwise invalid.